A Prelude to Disaster
by PokeTail
Summary: On his way back from a job, Gray is attacked by a dark guild from his past. Natsu was too late to save him travels all the way to the Northern Continent in order to rescue Fairy Tail's lost ice wizard. However, much darker forces are behind the attack and the fate of the raven-haired teen is left in one Devil Slayers hands.
1. A Second Too Late

**What's this? Why, it's a new fanfic for your enjoyment. This one is set just after the Sun Village arc. Are you sitting comfortably? Good, let's begin! :p**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own FT.**

* * *

The Fairy Tail guild hall was rather peaceful on this fine afternoon which is why Lucy began getting concerned. Strutting over to the bar, she took a seat next to her loyal team mate and his trusted companion. Natsu was slouched over on the table top, resting his head on his arms whilst Happy chewed down on some fish.

"What's up with you?" Lucy questioned.

The pinkette took a deep sigh before responding. "Gray's out on a solo job and Gajeel went out on a mission with Levy. There's no one to fight with."

"What're you talking about?" Lucy rolled her eyes, chuckling slightly. "There's tons of people to fight. There's Elfman..."

"Already beat the crap outta him this morning."

"Well... What about Max, or Warren, or Macao and Wakaba?"

"You're joking right? They're not even a challenge."

Macao and Wakaba sighed from a nearby table. "Glad to know what he thinks of us..."

"If you wanted to get out and do something you should have just said so and we could have gone out on a job together."

"Well, it's too late for that now. Gray better be having a piss poor day too," Natsu grumbled before pushing his head up. "Lucy, fight me!"

"NO WAY!"

* * *

Gray sneezed as he walked alongside a carriage. To say he was having a piss poor day would be an understatement. The raven had been tasked with escorting the mayor of... Gray couldn't even remember where the guy was from. All he knew was that he was supposed to be acting as a bodyguard for this high and mighty figure which Gray highly doubted the man even needed. Nothing had happened and to top it all off, the mayor was making Gray walk the distance instead of ridding the carriage. If the ice wizard hadn't have been desperate for food money, he wouldn't have taken this job in the first place. The raven was quickly brought out of his thoughts when the prestigious old man popped his head out of the carriage window.

"Boy, I heard something amongst the trees," he stated, aggressively.

"It'll be the Forest Vulcans, Sir," Gray responded through gritted teeth. "This place is full of them."

Just as the words left his mouth, a Vulcan walked across the path ahead, baring no interest in the humans on their journey.

"There's one!" The mayor howled. "Go and kill it, Boy!"

"It's not even hostile!" The ice wizard retorted. "Why would I attack it when we're the ones intruding its home?"

"Do you want the reward money?"

Groaning at his employer, Gray sluggishly made his way deeper into the forest to find the Vulcan the mayor was so set on killing.

"What is human doing in Vulcan home?" The green Gorian roared.

"Look, my client is trying to get back to his village and he's a bit anxious with you and your buddies walking around the place. Could you just keep off the path way while I'm escorting him home?" Gray grumbled.

"Human dare keep me and family away from home," the Vulcans huge fist swung down and made contact with Gray's chest. The creature then stormed off in a grump.

Gray sighed before pulling himself back onto his feet. At least the slight scratches on his abdomen and torso made his story of killing the beast more convincing. He returned to his client and nodded before ushering the carriage to continue down the path. _Jeez_ , Gray thought, _going on a job with Natsu would have been better than this._

* * *

A few days earlier, in the snowy continent of Isvan, the dark guild Five Bridge Familia were going about their usual business. It has only been a week since the devoted members had broken their guild master, Drum Bee, out of prison. The man had called a meeting together to deliver a speech to his trusted companions.

"Loyal members, it is thanks to you that I have been given the gift of freedom. It's been seventeen long years since Gildarts of the West and that stupid boy bested us, but we shall not let such a feat occur a second time. We are going to show this continent, no, this whole world the fear of Five Bridge Familiar. We are going to…" He came to an abrupt halt when the door to the building creaked open.

A skinny figure strode through the double doors. They were wearing a black cloak which hid their face from the guild member's. This figure carried a staff in one of his bony hands and chimed with the slightest of movements. They spoke with a deep voice which was only just audible for everyone's ears. "Drum Bee," the figure addressed the murderer. "Do you know of a boy by the name of Gray Fullbuster?"

A flush of memories spread through the master's and guild members' minds. Drum nodded and let the figure continue.

"I want you to find him, kill him and deliver his corpse to me."

"And how do you plan on me doing that when I am unfamiliar with you?"

"My name is Keyes of the Nine Demon Gates. Deliver him to my guild hall and you will be rewarded your weight in gold."

* * *

A raven haired male, clad in armour, had been pacing through the streets of a small village in Isvan with a bouquet of flowers. Another mournful year had gone by without his beloved wife and son, but this time was different. Now when he visited the grave, the man scratched out the name of his only child. Silver still couldn't believe it. His son had been alive all this time. It wasn't possible; he had to be dreaming. Tears of joy and sadness flowed down his face like a river. Sure, it was all well and good that the boy was alive, but if only Silver had known about it sooner, maybe the pair wouldn't have to be apart and fighting on different sides of the spectrum. He wanted to rush into the arms of his son so badly, but doing so would only put his life at risk. His child had already suffered so much, he didn't want any more physical or mental wounds inflicted on him again. After neatly placing the flowers in front of his wife's grave and saying a silent prayer, Silver made his way back to the port in order to depart back to Ishgal. The man came to a shuddering stop when he heard the clinking of a staff that he despised with all of his might. He turned around to find the man, no, the demon he loathed making his way further and further into the continent. His demeanour was so suspicious that there was no way Silver could just brush the event by. Keeping his distance, the raven sidled along buildings, praying that his 'master' wouldn't catch him in the act. He followed the necromancer to a dark guild building and watched the skeleton walk inside.

"Do you know of a boy by the name of Gray Fullbuster?" Keyes questioned the dark guild master.

That was all Silver needed to hear. He took off running far away from the building. Keyes was trying to hurt Gray, _his son_. A thousand thoughts muddled through Silver's mind, desperate to help his child, but what could he do? Even with a single suspicious act and his master could un-animate him for a period of time. Maybe he could warn Gray? No. It was bad enough that the man went on trips to Isvan behind Tartarus' back, trying to show up at a legal guild would only get him into even more trouble. There was no guarantee that Gray would even believe him. All Silver could do was run home and pray for his son's safety.

* * *

After possibly one of the most annoying jobs of his wizarding career, Gray was trudging along the Eastern Forest back to his guild hall. His posture was very sluggish and the raven was more than ready to drink his problems away followed by his usual brawl with his rival. He yawned and continued down the path until…

His body froze.

Not literally of course, but figuratively. No longer having any control over his body, the raven fell to his knees as an immense amount of pressure was felt around his neck. His lungs screamed as he gasped for air. _What the hell is happening?_ He thought and the invisible force grew stronger. A choked cry escaped his lips and he willed his arms to move up to his neck. That didn't work for obvious reasons and the limps remained firmly by his sides.

"Struggling is futile, Brat," a voice resonated throughout the forest and a giant-like figure along with five subordinates came into view.

Black spots began darting around the ice wizard's vision, though he could still just about make out who was looming over him. "Y-your," he croaked, breathlessly.

Drum Bee smiled at his subordinate's handy work as one of the five continued strangling the Fairy Tail wizard with his telekinesis. "Didn't think I'd stay locked up forever did you?"

* * *

Natsu was partaking in a heated argument with Happy about the tastiest kind of fish. The rest of his team were sat by their side, laughing at the pair whilst eating their own meals.

"Happy I'm telling you, the best kind of fish is…" Natsu rapidly brought himself to a stop. He could have sworn he'd heard something.

"Everything okay, Natsu?" Lucy asked, noticing the puzzled expression on his face.

The Salamander closed his eyes and focused only on his hearing. He could hear nothing besides the usual sounds of the guild hall. He was about to call it quits when he heard it; a choked cry coming from a voice that he recognised too well.

 _Gray_

The Salamander darted out of his seat and made a mad dash towards the door.

"Natsu, where are you going?" Erza called, sharing a confused look with her friends.

"Just wait here!" He yelled back before running off into the Eastern Forest.

* * *

"Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way," one of the dark guild members stated.

"Agree to come with us and there will be no consequences," another insisted.

"I-I ai-n't goin' no-wh-where with y-you," Gray stuttered in barely more than a whisper. His ears had started ringing and his vision had fogged up due to lack of oxygen. If he didn't do something soon, well, let's just say that it wouldn't end well for Gray.

"Very well, if you're not will to obey, we shall take matters into our own hands," Drum Bee grinned, menacingly. He raised his arm and ordered the wizard to strangle Gray further. Gray cried out in pain as he felt his eye lids beginning to fall shut.

"GRAY!" A specific fire wizard roared, igniting his fists.

Drum Bee nodded to one of his guild members who then raised his arm and locked Natsu in the same death grip that took hold of Gray.

"Well then, would you be willing to negotiate now that your comrade's life is on the line?"

Gray didn't respond, he couldn't. However, the look in his eyes was all that was needed. There was no way he'd agree to go with them; he wouldn't bring himself to disgrace the guild like that.

Drum Bee sighed. "Why must we do things the hard way?" He muttered to himself before raising his hand.

A bright glint went off in front of Gray, causing him to force his eyes shut. What happened next came as a shock. Drum Bee set off an explosion right by the raven's torso causing several lacerations to spurt blood from his chest and arms. Gray cried out in pure agony as his now limp form flew back into the trees and bushes. Green turned to red as blood poured out of his open wounds... And all Natsu could do was watch.

"Bast-ard... You... Won't... Get away... With th...is," he stuttered though his lack of oxygen.

"You fool, we already have," Drum Bee chuckled before ordering one of his subordinates to dispose of the fire wizard.

The last thing Natsu saw before darkness took over was the sight of Gray, his rival, his friend, his brother, being dragged away by the enemy. _I'm pathetic_ , he thought before falling into a forced sleep.

* * *

 **Woohoo! Chapter one is done! This fic won't have a specific update schedule and I'll just update whenever I have a new chapter ready. Hope you liked it so far and don't forget to follow so you know when I update again.**

 **See ya next time! ;)**


	2. Departure

**Wasn't gonna upload this today but I'm sat in college with two hours to go until my next class so I thought I might a well update.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

Natsu was awoken to the painful throbbing of his head. He was lying on his back in the middle of the Eastern Forest. How did he get here again? He pulled himself up into a sitting position whilst rubbing his temple, attempting to get his memories flowing. His attention soon changed when he heard three feminine voices calling out his name and a blue ball of fuzz filled his vision.

"Natsu! What happened? Are you okay?" Happy wailed, desperately hugging his partner.

That's when it all came back. "Gray?" His sight darted over to where the pyro had last seen the raven. All that remained was the red stained grass. "No…" he muttered to himself. "I was too late."

"Natsu," Erza approached her comrade, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What exactly happened here and what does it have to do with Gray?" she spoke in a calm, soothing manor.

"Were they a dark guild?" Lucy wondered.

"What did they look like?" Erza demanded.

"Do you need healing, Natsu-san?" Wendy suggested.

"No thanks, Wendy. I'm fine. As for if they're a dark guild… they could be. I mean, they seemed to be taking orders from this one guy. Note to mention all of them were wearing matching outfits."

"Let's go and report this to the Master," Erza stated. "Natsu, we'll need you to describe these wizards in as much detail as you can if we want any chance of rescuing Gray."

"I hope Gray-san is okay," Wendy's attention turned back to the fresh blood stains.

"C'mon, this is Gray we're talking about. He'd forget to die even if he was killed. The Popsicle will be fine," Natsu encouraged, though he didn't exactly believe it himself.

* * *

The guild hall was rendered silent after the booming entrance of the strongest team, all baring distressed expressions. The group paced over to the bar where Makarov was seated. He placed down his beer mug upon seeing his brat's faces. "Go on then, what's happened this time?" he asked sighing.

"Gray's been captured, Gramps," Natsu stated, solemnly.

Gasps and mutters where shared throughout the building at the horrific news. A teary eyed water wizard soon approached, clasping her hands together in worry. "Gray-sama's been captured… by who?"

"We're not exactly sure, Juvia," Lucy responded. Noticing the oncoming flow of tears, the blonde continued. "Don't worry though, we're gonna find who did this and make sure we bring Gray home safely."

Realising that every guild member in the building was focusing their attention on them, Makarov instructed Natsu and the rest of his team into his office to talk about the matter in a more private location. Juvia was left standing by the bar, seconds away from breaking down. A certain brunette strode over and pulled the shaking form into a warm embrace, both sharing concerned glances for their friend.

* * *

"Natsu," Makarov began, "what did these wizards look like?"

"Umm… well, they all looked to be male. They all had their hair tied back in a ponytail and some sort of bandana covering their eyes. They were wearing some kind of robe with really long sleeves and baggy trousers."

Makarov's eyes perked up at this as his activated his archive magic.

"Wait, since when could you use archive?" Natsu pointed out, confusion spread across his face.

"It's mandatory for every guild master to have access to archive, but that's not important right now. Natsu, is this what the wizards looked like?" Makarov displayed a picture of the dark guild members standing alongside their master.

"Yes! That's them. They guy in the middle was there too."

"I see. Gray probably never told you this but before he joined the guild he came across a few dark guilds, Five Bridge Familia included. They were very notorious in Isvan and their leader, Drum Bee, was serving time in a prison know as Black Vox for mass murder. A few of their guild members attacked Gray and a member of the council on a train ride and capture the council member. Gray went after them and eventually was engaged in combat with the guild master."

"That idiot, wasn't he like eight year old at the time?" Natsu rolled his eyes, chuckling slightly.

"Anyways…" the Master continued. "It just so happened that Gildarts was in the area and managed to come to his aid before any serious damage could be dealt. They were both responsible for the dark guilds disbandment seventeen years ago."

"Is that how Gray learned of Fairy Tail?" Wendy smiled.

"I still can't believe that he had to travel all the way from the Northern Continent to get here," Lucy marvelled.

"So this is just a revenge mission then?" Erza brought her group back into focus. "Does this mean they could also be targeting Gildarts?"

"That's what I'm thinking, but-" Makarov was rapidly halted by a certain fire dragon's outburst.

"Well, if Gildarts is with him, we have nothing to worry about, right? Gray's going to be fine."

"I'm hoping so, but we can pin all our hopes on the slim chance that Gildarts is in Isvan again."

"Then we'll go over to Isvan and bring him home, problem solved."

"It's gonna be a long boat ride to Isvan, ya know," Happy teased.

Natsu opened his mouth to respond, but was quickly halted when they heard the squeaking of the door knob.

"Master, if Gray needs help, I wanna be a part of it," Cana demanded, striding through the door.

"Juvia would like to help out too," Juvia muttered. "Gray-sama has done so much for Juvia, she would like to repay him for all of that."

"Guy's it's okay. His team can handle this," Natsu responded, trying to sound reassuring.

"Well, you're not the only team he has," Cana glared daggers at the Salamander.

"Natsu, the opponent we're up against is enough to rival Gildarts. We will need all the help we can get," Erza mentioned, before turning to the brunette. "We appreciate the help, Cana, Juvia."

"It's better if Happy and I remain in the guild hall," Carla informed. "We wouldn't be much help up against a dark guild and if they use telekinesis we'd be at even more of a disadvantage."

"Well then, it's settled. One of our own is out there. You brats better promise me to bring Gray home safe."

"AYE!"

* * *

Gray started becoming more and more aware of his surroundings. Keeping his eyes closed, the raven let his remaining senses get a grasp on where he was. He could feel the wooden planks running along the floor. He could hear seagulls squawking overhead. He could smell the fresh sea water mixed with the metallic smell of his own blood. There was no doubt about it, he was on a ship… the enemy's ship. To where they were sailing, Gray had no idea. He still hadn't completely come around and he couldn't move a muscle. His wrists and ankles had been firmly shackled and his wounds had been left untreated. Willing his eyes to open, Gray found himself lying inside a prison cell with two of the Five Bridge Familia member's placed outside as guards. Gray attempted to move the rest of his body, yet not a single muscle moved. He tried to get their attention, but to no avail. What the hell had happened to him? Sensing a disturbance, the two guards turned to face the teen, laughing at his pitiful state.

"Looks like the vial we gave him is doing its job," one of the grinned, menacingly.

"Don't worry kid, we're almost at Isvan," the other added.

That was the last thing he heard before passing out again.

* * *

The next time the ice wizard woke, he was no longer chained in the ship's prison. He was positioned upright, arms attached to shackles pinned to the ceiling. He was leaning on his knees that now sported sever cuts from the multitude of stones and sharp edges littered on the floor. Dried blood stained his torso and one eye had been welded shut due to the crimson substance. Gray groaned out in pain as he tried once again to make his limbs move… no luck. Whatever those wizards had given to him, it must have been strong. _Don't these things usually wear off by now?_ Gray thought. His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened with a _Clank!_

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here," Drum Bee taunted as he slowly approached.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Gray gritted his teeth in anger.

"From you? Nothing, but we've been given strict orders to end your life," the muscular man growled. Seeing Gray's troubled expression, he continued. "Oh but don't worry, I won't kill you right away. I promise to make your death as slow and as painful as possible!"

An explosion went off by Gray's chest. He cried in pain as the force pushed him back. Previous wounds had reopened and more had been added to the list. One laceration cut clean through his guild mark and he stared at the damage in sorrow. _It's ruined,_ he thought. His wrists had been cut into due to the chains keeping him in place and blood seeped out of his mouth and gradually turned into painful hacks as blood and vomit spilled onto the floor in front of him. Sweat beaded down his face, causing his raven bangs to stick to his forehead as he gasped for breath. Drum Bee laughed to himself before making an exit. _Guys, help me,_ a single tear was let loose from his eyes as he prayed for his guild to rescue him.

* * *

"W-Wendy… cast the… T-T-Troia again… please," Natsu gulped, ready to throw up off the side of the boat.

"Sorry, Natsu-san, if you cast it too much, the effects weaken, and I need to preserve my magic for when we save Gray-san."

"Honestly, Gray should know better than to run in and challenge a whole dark guild," Erza shock her head disapprovingly.

"It was to rescue a member of the magic council. Juvia thinks it was very noble of Gray-sama."

"It's not like that's the only time he's done that either," Cana mentioned, taking a swig of her drink.

"What do you mean, Cana?" Lucy questioned.

"Magnolia used to be home to a dark guild know as Circus Knight. Fairy Tail had a couple of run ins with them in the past, but one day, Wakaba got captured and when Fairy Tail went to fight the members to save him, guess who was already there?"

"That fool," Erza muttered.

Cana continued. "Apparently, a friend he'd been traveling with was a member of the dark guild and betrayed him. Gray went to save Wakaba and get some answers from his friend. He ended up challenging the guild mater and passed out shortly after. Master took over from there. Not to mention he had spent the night in hospital the night before for being blown up."

"Sound like he had some crazy adventures before he joined the guild," Lucy chuckled.

"Everyone," Juvia called. "Juvia can see the port."

The remaining members rushed over to the side of the boat, peering over the edge. Sure enough, the snowy continent was in sight. Each wizard shared a determined look with one another before Erza grabbed their attention.

"Okay everyone, we're coming up to Isvan. Remember that our mission is to rescue Gray and bring him home safely. We don't know what condition he could be in so engaging combat with the dark guild is completely out of the question. Once we've assured Gray's rescue we are to set sail for home immediately. Understand?"

"But Erza," Natsu retorted, his motion sickness disappearing. "We need to make these bastards pay for what they've done."

"And are you willing to stay here and fight if it would cost Gray his life?"

Natsu readied himself for a response but was instantly halted at Erza's words. If Gray were to die while Natsu was on his quest for revenge, he'd never forgive himself. Lucy noticed the saddened expression on her team mates face and decided to soothe him with some words of encouragement.

"Natsu, there's nothing to worry about. We're going to bring Gray home safe and sound no matter what."

"I know," Natsu smiled back at the blonde.

* * *

It wasn't long after that their boat ported and the group had officially stepped foot on Isvan for the first time ever. They got a quick look at their surrounding before heading into the village.

"Just hang in there, Gray. We're coming," Natsu muttered to himself as he lead the team further into Isvan.

* * *

 **So I'm guessing there will be about two chapter left of this story, maybe three if we're lucky. Yeah, I know it's short but I wasn't planning on this being a very long fic anyway. Plus once this is over, I have another idea that I will start writing! :p**

 **Mystery Circle is still going, but it hit a writer's block, plus I have exams coming up soon so once they're out of the way I'll be able to focus all my attention back on that so a new chapter will get released eventually.**

 **Did anyone read the latest chapter?! Holy bajeez, the ending! I hope Natsu's okay, Happy made me cry. :(**

 **And I can't lie, the new opening is pretty cool, but it can't hold a candle to Believe in Myself.**

 **Have a nice day! ;)**


	3. Meeting Him

**Hello, it's me. I'm back with another chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

* * *

Gray screamed as the surge of electrical waves ran down the shackles and made contact with his scarred body. The sensation felt five times worse that one of Laxus' lightning bolts, and Gray knew from experience, they were painful. The shocks had been coming on and off for the past three hours and Gray was slowly losing the will to live. It was times like this that made the ice wizard look back on his life, hoping that the pleasant memories would nullify the pain. He thought back to his time in Fairy Tail, to the days when he would challenge anyone and everyone in an attempt to prove himself as the strongest. Of course that all changed when Natsu and Erza joined the guild. Erza was just a plain monster and Gray highly doubted that the two males would ever surpass her. As they grew stronger so did she, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Erza's insane strength gave the pair the determination they needed to keep getting stronger and Gray was thankful for that 'push.' Natsu was a different story though. No matter how hard either of them fought, every single brawl would end in a stalemate. Yet, whilst out in the field, Gray would watch Natsu take down enemies that even Erza didn't stand a chance against. The raven wondered if Natsu ever did go all out during their fights. The ice wizard was rapidly snapped out of his thoughts when another fit of coughing took over. More blood spattered on the ground below, making the crimson puddle even larger. Gray was amazed at just how much blood a person could lose before death took them. He guessed it wouldn't last much longer as his skin had turned a deathly white and he couldn't even remember the last time he could see clearly. The teen's vision slowly began turning to black as Gray let the comfort of sleep take over him. Unfortunately, the sensation didn't last very long as the electrical waves intensified, causing an agonising scream to escape from his mouth. This was hell.

* * *

"So does anyone actually know where this dark guild is?" Cana questioned as the group looked around the village they were currently positioned in.

"I was kinda relying on Gray's scent to guild us," Natsu admitted, staring at the ground. "But I can't track him anywhere."

"There's got to be someone who has information on the dark guild," Juvia mentioned. "Considering Master said that they were 'notorious' Juvia is sure someone has the information we're looking for."

The group split up and searched around the city for any possible leads on the dark guilds location. They asked several different people, but were given the same result each time.

"Five Bridge Familia?! I wouldn't mention them around these parts."

"That guild's a taboo subject around here."

"If we knew anything, we'd be going over to pummel those bastards ourselves."

They regrouped near a local park, all sporting glum faces; their hopes of saving their friend grew slimmer by the minute.

"Dammit," Erza hissed. "We should head to the next town over, hopefully they'll know something?"

"And if they don't?" Cana mentioned.

"Then we'll beat the answers outta 'em!" Natsu roared. "The longer we sit around the longer Gray's stuck with those bastards. If we don't do something soon, it could be too late."

"Natsu-san is really worried about Gray-sama, isn't he?" Juvia muttered, though the Salamander's ears managed to pick it up.

"Of course I am," Natsu admitted. "The Popsicle is my rival, who the hell am I gonna fight with if he's done in by a dark guild?"

Lucy frowned at the response. Only a few hours ago was Natsu being his usual optimistic self, insisting that Gray would be safe no matter what. Lucy could only assume it was down to their strength. If the guild's master was on par with Gildarts seventeen years ago, who knew how strong the man could be now?

"Alright," Erza brought the attention back to herself. "You all wait here while I go and hire a Magic Four-Wheeler. We'll set off for the next town as soon as I return."

"That won't be necessary, Miss," a male voice sounded a few paces behind them. As he approached, the fairies took a good look at his appearance. The quite muscular male had messy brown hair and piercing green eyes. He had a slight stubble around his chin and wore a grey shirt with black, baggy trousers.

"And who might you be?" Cana stepped forward, folding her arms.

"You can called me Gin Iwata," the male held his arm out to shake the brunette's hand, however she just glared at the limb. Sighing, Gin continued. "I heard a bunch of kids were asking about the dark guild Five Bridge Familia and it just so happens that I am also in pursuit of this guild as well."

"And why exactly are you after them?" Natsu questioned, doubting his every word.

"Recent reports have shown that Drum Bee, the dark guild's master, has been broken out of prison once again. I'm doing whatever I can to avoid another senseless slaughter like a few years back.

"Our friend was captured by this dark guild," Erza put her hand on Natsu's shoulder as a silent order to stand down. "We need to find him before it's too late."

Gin took a quick glance at his surroundings before lowering his voice. "Look, I know the guild's location, I can help you get your friend back. Come with me to the Inn I'm staying at and we'll talk there."

After a moments of hesitation, the fairies finally decided to follow this man. They needed to save Gray as soon as possible and even though some of them didn't exactly trust this man, they made a promise to get their friend home safely.

* * *

Silver couldn't stop thinking about his son as he paced around the streets. As far as he knew, Keyes was under the impression that the male was out training. He couldn't even look at the demon without having a raging desire to destroy him (not that he didn't want to do so before). Silver had muddled over several plans to rescue his son in his head, but all seemed far too risky. Keyes would know his plan if he went anywhere near the dark guild building. Some would say it was worth the risk, but Silver knew that Keyes would use his boy as a weapon against him. He had faith in Fairy Tail; they would definitely be able to save Gray because he was as much of a family member to them as he was to Silver. _Please son, be safe,_ Silver thought as he continued walking.

* * *

"Umm… Gin-san," Wendy began, "are you a wizard? I'm sensing a lot of magic coming from you."

"Yeah. I don't belong to any guild though, I just take any freelancer quests that I happen upon. My magic's nothing special either." In a quick flash of light, Gin made a sword appear in his left hand.

"You use requip magic." Erza stated, smiling slightly.

"Not exactly. I only have this one sword, but I can change the attributes of it whilst I'm fighting."

"Juvia thinks that Gin-san should be proud of his magic."

"Well, I'm nothing compared to you kids," he chortled. "I watched the Grand Magic Games and I must say, Fairy Tail is an astounding guild. Hey, if I ever had kids, that's where I'd want them growing up."

"It's never a boring day there to say the least," Lucy chuckled, sheepishly.

"So can you tell us about the dark guild now?" Cana reminded.

"Oh yes," Gin cleared his throat before beginning his explanation. "I'm sure you've heard about the guild master, Drum Bee. Around twenty years ago, the man mercilessly slaughters hundreds of people for sheer pleasure. It resulted in him being arrested and sent to the highest security prison in the world, Black Vox. The prison was run by a member of the Magic Council and a few years later, the members of Five Bridge Familia took the man hostage in order to save their master. Drum Bee then released the other prisoners and the whole of Black Vox was in a state of chaos. A man named Gildarts of the West, along with some kid, were able to take out Drum Bee and lock him and the rest of the prisoners away once again. Unfortunately, not all of the guild members were captured and after further developing their powers of telekinesis, were able to force one of the jailers to open Drum Bee's prison and he escaped. The leads I have found have directed me towards Rurq Forest. It's about a three hour journey from here. If we team up, I'm sure with your skill we will be able to bring the dark guild to justice and save your friend."

"Then what the hell are we waiting for? Let's get out there and bring Gray home!"

The fairies all shared a determined grin and Gin couldn't help but smile at the utter strength of Fairy Tail's bond. _They truly are an astounding guild, in more ways than one,_ he thought. Gin then reached into his bag and pulled out a map. "Okay gather round everyone, I think I know the best route into the forest without stirring up trouble."

* * *

Gray's sense of awareness had completely shut off by this point, resulting in being in a somewhat vegetative state. To him, the raven was staring into a black pit of nothingness whereas in reality, he was staring blankly at the blood stained earth underneath him. Drum Bee had been standing in front of him for the past ten minutes waiting for a response. Growing impatient, the dark guild master set off another explosion by the boy's abdomen. Gray's form jerked violently, but he did not scream out in pain. His eyes remained almost lifeless as more blood seeped out of new wounds.

"C'mon Boy," Drum laughed. "It's not as fun when you don't respond." He set off another explosion, this time by his back. Gray's limp body was forced forwards, only to be pulled back by the chains. More blood mixed with vomit escaped from his mouth, coating the floor and his legs in a purplish crimson liquid.

"Master," one of the guild members interrupted. "Weren't we supposed to deliver the boy's body to Tartarus by now?"

Gray would have been shocked if he could actually hear what was going on. The only sound he was granted with was the continuous ringing torturing his mind.

"We were told to deliver the corpse. The demon never specified how to kill him or when he wants the body," Drum Bee sent a menacing grin towards his subordinate who nodded before leaving the cell once again. Drum returned his attention to his captive and yanked on his raven locks until the boy was looking the guild master in the eye. Gray still remained unresponsive. Enraged, Drum set off an explosion by the wizards face. He then pushed Gray back into his original position and took a look at his handiwork. At last, one of Gray's eyes had fallen shut. As for the other…

It was oozing blood.

* * *

 **Next time is the finale! Hope you'll all be looking forward to it.**

 **See ya! ;)**


	4. One Last Embrace

**Here we are with the final chapter. I hope you all enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: Own Fairy Tail I do not.**

* * *

Gin and the fairies continued down the beaten path through Rurq Forest. Natsu and Wendy thoroughly scanned the surroundings and tried with all their might to find their team mate's scent. The teens had stayed silent throughout their journey and Gin had begun to notice their uneasiness.

"So who's this Gray fella' you guys keep talkin' about?" The man pondered.

"He's a good friend of ours and a member of this team," Erza stated smiling slightly. "He was the child that – along with Gildarts – took down Drum Bee after he tried to escape the first time."

"You're kidding?!" To say Gin was shocked would be an understatement. "Then Drum's doing this as a way of revenge?"

"We assume so…" Cana mumbled.

"We must save Gray-sama before anything happens to him. Juvia will not forgive herself if he is injured."

"Natsu, are you alright?" Lucy finally asked.

Natsu had been far too quiet as they journeyed deeper and deeper into the forest. He just nodded his head before returning his gaze to the floor.

"Natsu-san," Wendy spoke up. "It's not your fault that Gray-san was captured."

"But it _is_ my fault!" The Salamander retorted. "If I had just got to him a few seconds earlier then he wouldn't be in this mess." Without realising, Natsu dug his fingernails into his palms, causing a thin stream of blood to trickle down his fingers.

"From what I've heard, your friend sounds like a stubborn one. I'm sure he'll make it through this no matter what happens," Gin reassured, sending an empathetic glance towards Natsu.

Natsu nodded towards the man and they carried on walking. It wasn't long until the pyro picked up a familiar scent. It smelled like pine, mixed with mint, mixed with blood… lots of it. Natsu's form went ridged at the smell and it was only until Lucy shook him out of his trance that he stated, "I can smell him. This way!" And took off running. The girl's and Gin all followed the pinkette, struggling to keep up with the teen. Eventually, they came across an old church building that looked like it had seen better days. Moss was growing out of the cracks in the walls and windows had been smashed and shattered. "He's in there, no doubt about it. I can smell the guy's that attacked him too."

"Okay everyone, gather round," Erza instructed. "Here's the plan. We're going to split off into two groups. Lucy, Juvia, Cana, Wendy and I will act as a distraction and enter through the main doors. Natsu and Gin, you see that big crack in the wall?" Both males nodded. "You're going to enter through their and follow Gray's scent until you find him. They most likely have their strongest men guarding him so we need our strongest over there."

"I won't let you down, Miss," Gin confirmed.

"Once we've assured Gray's safety, we take down the remaining member of the dark guild. Understood?"

"Roger."

The two team's got into their positions and prepared to begin the assault.

* * *

Silver smiled to himself. His son would soon be in the loving hands of his guild mates and taken to safety, but the feeling just wasn't good enough. He had to make the dark guild pay! He knew his master would catch wind of his plan, but that no longer mattered to him. If he didn't go ahead with this, everything he had been fighting for would be for nothing. Ever since the raven had realised that his son was alive, he deceived a plan. A plan to reunite with the boy and pass on his teachings. It was a very risky plan obviously. There was no way around getting Fairy Tail involved, but it was the only was Tartarus could be stopped. The only way he could be happy. The only way he could reunite with his wife. The only way he could help his son in the fight against Zeref. So for Gray to be done in by a dark guild would ruin his chances of ever getting to see his son's smiling face again. Silver would just have to deal with the consequences later because NO ONE hurts his boy and gets away with it!

* * *

Drum Bee was positioned outside his prisoner's cell, explaining his ideals to two of his subordinates when he heard a _CRASH!_

"Master, a group of girl's from Fairy Tail are attacking the guild. They've come to retrieve their guild mate," one of the members came rushing towards him.

"Very well," he grumbled. "Show them the power of Five Bridge Familia. I will remain here if on the off chance that one of them were to make it through our numbers.

"I knew we should have just killed the kid and delivered him to Tartarus when we found him," one of the member's muttered to another.

"Drum Bee!" A voice called from the shadows. Gin and Natsu both charged forward, sword and flames at the ready. "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to."

"Give Gray back, you bastard!" Natsu roared, swinging his right fist and the muscular man who simple caught it and tossed the pyro into the wall.

"You don't know who you're up against kid," Drum chuckled as everyone got into their battle stances.

* * *

Natsu and Gin we sidling along the wall of a seemingly endless hallway. They'd already heard the cue from the girls to begin advancing and they could now hear each of them ruthlessly attacking the dark guild members. With each step they took, Gray's scent continued to grow stronger. They were clearly going the right way. What troubled Natsu was the sickening stench of blood that also got stronger as they progressed down the hallway. The Salamander just prayed that his injures weren't too severe. The pair were now so close that they could just about make out what their enemy was saying. Remaining in the shadows, the pain listened in and waited for the right moment.

"I knew we should have just killed the kid and delivered him to Tartarus when we found him," Natsu heard one of them mutter.

"Tartarus," Natsu whispered. What did Tartarus want with Gray? He turned to face Gin who had already unsheathed his sword. Natsu followed suit and ignited his fists as the pair charged forward.

"Drum Bee!" Gin called from the shadows, before making his appearance known "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to."

"Give Gray back, you bastard!" Natsu roared. He launched himself at the guild master and sent a punch towards the man's face. However, the attack was blocked and Natsu was thrown into the wall besides them.

"You don't know who you're up against kid," Drum chuckled as everyone got into their battle stances.

Natsu's focus was soul set on Drum Bee while Gin went to attack the subordinates. The fire dragon sent an uppercut to the man's jaw, hoping to knock him back so he could catch the man off guard with a roundhouse kick. Unfortunately, Drum was not fazed by the blow and set off an explosion in front of the Salamander. Acting on instinct, the pyro sharply inhaled the flames and blasted around him before the full impact could reach anyone in the area. One the fire and smoke had dissipated, Natsu was holding his stomach in disgust at the foul taste of the inferno.

"Man, you call those flames?" The fire dragon laughed. "Jeez, Romeo's yellow fire tasted better than this…"

Natsu lit his fists up once again and prepared to pounce at the enemy when a sharp blade cut through his path. Gin was standing strong in front of the pinkette staring Drum down.

"Old Man!" Natsu cried, slightly annoyed at him for stealing his pray. He glanced over to the man's opponents to see all three of the guild member's laying upon the stone cold ground, unconscious.

"Take this," Gin threw a set of key's Natsu's way without looking back. "Help your friend. I'll keep this bastard busy."

Natsu nodded – though he knew Gin wouldn't be able to tell – and ran over to the cell his friend was located. He rapidly fiddled through each key until he finally heard a _click_ and the door opened. "Gray!" he yelled in pure shock. The raven was deathly pale and completely surrounded by his own blood. Laceration – most of which had been infected – covered his body. One in particular cut straight through the teens guild mark; it was barely recognisable. His wrists were bleeding profusely due to the strain of the shackles keeping them in place and his eyes were shut. Speaking of his eyes, Gray's right eye was oozing blood which was then streaming down his face. His lips were slightly parted, but it was clear to see that the ice wizard was struggling for breath. Panicking, Natsu gripped the keys tightly, praying that one of them unlocked the chains keeping his rival in place. Sure enough, the chains loosened and the limp figure toppled over and into Natsu's comforting arms. The Salamander desperately searched for a pulse and was both relieved and shocked to find the occasional beat that seemed to be getting slower with every passing minute.

"N…Na…Nat…tsu…" a voice whispered in his ear.

"I'm here," he reassured. "Everything's gonna be okay. We're gonna get you home."

"R…ri…g…t…" Gray struggled, falling unconscious once more.

Natsu picked the male up bridal style and dashed back out the door. The corridor appeared empty; he could only assume the Gin had driven their fight over to the main room so he could check up on the girls in the process. Tightening his grip on Gray, Natsu sped back down the corridor in pursuit of his team.

"You people were fools to think you would get away with kidnapping a member of our family!" Erza bellowed, summoning more swords.

Lucy had summoned Loke and devised a strategy of their own. It was Loke's job to stun the enemies so the Lucy could catch them off-guard with her trusty whip. Cana and Wendy were stood back to back, defeating any foe within their reach. Juvia was on a mad rampage, suffocating any and all of her opponents with a deadly Water Lock.

"How dare you hurt Juvia's Gray-sama!" she screamed, steam emanating from her boiling water.

As if on cue, Natsu burst through a wall, holding a bloodied Gray in his arms with a grave look on his face. The girls and Loke quickly neglected their fights and rushed over to the pair, shuddering at all the horrible things Gray must have gone through.

"We need to get him help now! He won't last must longer," Natsu stated, his voice quivering.

"You guys go!" Gin called over, keeping the guild member's well away from the Fairy Tail wizards. "I can take care of these guy's myself. You need to get your friend medical attention and now!"

"What about you, Old Man?!" Natsu responded in concern.

"I'm more capable than you think!"

The group sent glances each other's way. They all knew that they couldn't stay any longer. Gray was too frail in his current state and if they didn't do something soon there was a good chance the ice wizard wouldn't make it.

"Come on, let's get home," Erza concluded before leading everyone out of the building.

Juvia stayed behind, watching the older man fight his way through hundreds of dark wizards. "Gin-san!" she cried. "Thank you for everything!" She bowed her head slightly before returning to her beloved guild mates.

Gin smiled as the wizards went out of range and dispelled his Transformation Magic, revealing his spiked raven hair, his silver plated armour and the deep scar on his forehead. The temperature of the room dropped drastically as the wizard's expression turned scarce.

Drum Bee emerged from the shadows, staring at the man in confusion. "Why has a member of Tartarus been assisting the enemy?" he muttered to himself.

"You bastards are gonna pay for hurting my son!" The Devil Slayer roared, preparing an onslaught of attacks.

* * *

Inside the Fairy Tail infirmary, Gray had been tightly tucked up under the bed sheets. The majority of his body was covered in thick bandaging and a gauze was covering his right eye. Porlyusica was stood with Makarov and the rest of Gray's rescue team, listening in on their comrade's condition.

"The wound through his guild mark was too badly infected that no matter how hard we try, we won't be able to avoid scaring. If you give me some time I may be able to restore his eye. He also lost an immense amount of blood so he won't be able to move around for a while. I suggest he remains here for at least two weeks after he regains consciousness."

"Thank you Porlyusica," Makarov mumbled, staring down at the frail body of one of his children.

"Why the hell did they do this to him?" Cana growled in frustration.

"I heard a few of the members say that they were supposed to kill him and deliver his body to Tartarus," Natsu stated, glumly.

"Tartarus?!" Everyone repeated in disbelief.

"What would Tartarus want with Gray?" Makarov continued.

"It would be wise to keep an eye on the boy," Porlyusica suggested. "If Tartarus are after him there is a high chance that they will strike again and one of these day's Gray will get himself killed."

Makarov nodded in agreement and ordered everyone out of the room. He placed his hand on Gray shoulder and shed a single tear. "Get some rest, Gray. We'll be right by your side when you wake up."

* * *

Silver rushed through the doors of Tartarus and headed straight for his chambers. Unknowing, he passed by his master who, upon seeing the man, stared in his direction before speaking.

"Don't think I don't know what you've done," he snarled.

Halting in his tracks, Silver slowly turned to face Keyes, a scowl adorning his features. He strode up to the demon, their faces inches away from touching. "Listen here, _Master_. I don't give a crap about what you do to me," he stated through gritted teeth. "But you dare bring harm to my son, I won't hesitate to destroy you!" The ice devil gave one last glare at the demon before storming off to his chambers.

* * *

The moon was vigilantly guarding over Magnolia as the residents slept. A man approached Fairy Tail wearing a dark cloak, hiding his features from view. With his delicate magic, he created an icy key that fit perfectly into the lock. He gradually tiptoed through the guild, praying that he wouldn't wake any members that may still be present. The door to the infirmary creaked open as the hooded make walked through. Gray was sound asleep in the middle of the infirmary. _Perfect,_ Silver thought as he removed his hood. The father knew he wouldn't be able to sleep at ease without seeing his son back home and safe with his family. He pulled up a chair and gripped Gray's hand in his own.

"Gray, my son, there's so much I want to tell you and so much more I want to ask. I want to hear about all of your adventures with your new friends. I want to tell you about all I have accomplished on my quest to rid the world of demons. I want to hear that cheery voice that used to greet me every time I returned home after a long day. Do you remember back then? Well, I do. I'd burst through the door shouting "I'm home!" and you would immediately run towards me, giving me the biggest hug you could imagine. I would pick you up and swing you around the room. Your mother would always laugh at our antics. And then we'd sit at the dinner table and you'd tell me all about your day and how you beat all your friends in a snowball fight. And afterwards, when it got dark, we would all cuddle up on the couch together and drink hot chocolate. You'd always fall asleep in my lap so your mother and I always carried you back into your room and tuck you in bed.

"I remember one weekend, when one of your friends came running to our home saying you were hurt. You'd fallen over whilst playing and had broken your arm, but even though you were in all this pain, you didn't cry out. You never complained when something bad happened, you would face the pain head on and show it who was boss. Just like when we used to have sparring matches. Even though I was clearly the tougher opponent, you would never give in. I loved watching you get stronger every day. It made me proud to have such as strong-willed son. So when I think about how I've missed the past ten years of your life, it breaks my heart.

"I beg of you to continue getting stronger. Things will turn pretty bleak when we next meet, but I know you will be able to confront your sadness and overcome it, just like you always did. I know you will be able to avenge our family. I feel the war with Zeref and his demons will some hit its climax and I know Fairy Tail will come out on top. You've found a really amazing family to take care of you Gray, please continue to treasure them as you did for Mika and I." Tears poured out of Silver eyes like a waterfall. He brought himself closer to his son and pulled the boy into one last embrace. Silver wished time could stop. He wanted to stay by his son's side so desperately; he wanted his son to be able to hug him back and to remain by his side for the rest of their lives. However, he knew Keyes would be quick on his tail and if Fairy Tail saw an intruder – let alone a member of Tartarus – holding Gray in his arms, there would most definitely be repercussions. Kissing his son's forehead, the ice devil turned towards the door and put his hood back over his head. Just before exiting the man heard a mumbled "Dad" as Gray stirred in his sleep. Silver shed one last tear before dashing out of the guild hall and disappearing into the night.

 _I love you, my son._

* * *

 **Yay! Another fic over. I really like the ending to this one so I hope you all enjoyed it.**

 **I probably won't post anything new for a while (apart from one-shots) because I wanna give Mystery Circle some more focus. I am starting to write a few notes for my next multi-chapter fic and it's gonna be a good one so look forward to it.**

 **Stay awesome people! :D**


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